Madico print on demand wins over customers and distributors.

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Challenge:
Madico Inc. is a manufacturer of solar, safety and security films for glass and windows. Like most of their competition, Madico routes their products through a somewhat-lengthy sales channel. First the films are sold to distributors, then to independent sellers such as car dealerships and auto body shops. That's where the end customer ultimately will find Madico's wares.

It's also where they'll find the wares of other manufacturers. The dealers Madico depends on to sell their products are by no means beholden to do so. In fact, in the profit-driven world of film sales, the products they push tend to be the ones they can sell with the most ease. In an industry where the best marketing support can make the difference in dealer preferences and recommendations, the dealers need to do better.

Madico understood this. They also knew that the way they were currently doing things was not the best for them or their dealers. They didn't have a reliable way to gauge how many brochures, posters and other pieces dealers would need, so they frequently ended up storing thousands in their warehouse and eventually throwing them out. Another problem was that there was no mention of the dealer anywhere on the Madico collateral -- after all, the dealer was part of the solution.

Madico wanted a solution that would allow dealers and distributors to customize their collateral in a professional way, while still controlling the Madico brand. They also wanted a more efficient way to distribute these materials, since their current system was growing more wasteful and expensive by the year.

Solution:
Luckily, LaVigne Inc. had just the capabilities Madico needed. Using their HP Indigo 3000 Digital Press and Printable Technologies software, LaVigne mapped out a streamlined, variable Web-to-Print system. A catalog of Madico's marketing collateral is digitally stored on a secure, LaVigne-hosted Web site, which can be accessed only by approved dealers. The dealers create custom pieces from pre-approved concepts, images, headlines and copy. They're able to add their own company information and even highlight specific features that they feel are most important. When they're done, they place their orders online and LaVigne takes care of the rest -- everything from shipping and printing to billing. The dealers order only the amounts they want, and only when they want them. Not once is Madico involved with the process.

Results:
Madico's partners have been using the Web-to-Print system on a regular basis since it was launched, ordering literature at a rate almost 40% higher than in the past. This is a testament to both how efficient the system is as well as how effective the sales tools have become. They now have the ability to provide customers with product information that will always be current. Plus, the three-to-five-day arrival time upon order sure helps with their grassroots marketing efforts.

For Madico, the use of the Web-to-Print system has proven so successful that they recouped their initial investment in just over six months, while continuing to save thousands on what they used to over-print. But perhaps more important, it's served to dramatically improve their relationships with dealers. And in this business, those relationships are their biggest assets.